We are now through four weeks of the fantasy football season, and managers should continue to be looking for ways to improve their rosters.
With that in mind, we recently listed a number of players fantasy managers should try to trade for, either to buy low on those who are undervalued or sell high on the overvalued ones. But if you’re only interested in running back trade targets, we’ve got you covered.
Top RB Trade Targets To Buy in Your League
James Conner, Arizona Cardinals
The fact that James Conner was able to produce 18 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown in a game the Cardinals lost by 28 points speaks volumes. Conner is the clear RB1, and neither Trey Benson nor Emari Demercado is any threat to his touches.
All Conner has to do is stay healthy.
The Cardinals may not be one of the better teams in the NFL, but I don’t think losing games is going to compel them to make a change.
Conner has now posted RB1 numbers in three of four games this season. He has a tough matchup against the 49ers next week, but then the schedule gets much easier.
Conner deserves an RB1 valuation going forward. If his fantasy manager doesn’t view him that way, see if you can pry him away for 75 cents on the dollar.
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris has been surprisingly good this season. Injuries to Jaylen Warren and now Cordarrelle Patterson have helped. But regardless of the reason, Harris has seen 17+ carries in three of his first four games. More encouragingly, he’s actually seeing work in the passing game.
Harris has seen 11 total targets over the past two weeks. The only real knock on him is that somehow he hasn’t scored a touchdown.
Odds are Harris’ fantasy manager knows that and understands the touchdowns are coming. But if not, and you can buy Harris as a low-RB2, he projects to be better for the rest of the season.
Which RBs Should You Look To Sell High on Ahead of Week 5?
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
I actually kind of buy what Chuba Hubbard is doing. Andy Dalton has turned this offense into a competent one, and Hubbard is benefiting as the lead back. With that said, he isn’t this good.
Hubbard has now rushed for over 100 yards in back-to-back games, scoring 27.9 and 22.1 points in Weeks 3 and 4, respectively.
Hubbard’s performance has definitely given the Panthers something to think about. However, they did make Jonathon Brooks the first running back taken off the board in this year’s NFL Draft, and he’s expected to return to practice within the next couple of weeks.
As great as Hubbard has been, it’s only a matter of time before Brooks, at the very least, makes this a timeshare. And what is making Hubbard great right now is the volume.
If an RB-needy fantasy manager is willing to pay a premium for short-term production, it’s worth exploring a trade.
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is not the first time Rachaad White has been listed as a “sell.” He’s been a sell essentially since he was drafted.
White has already lost the goal-line role to Bucky Irving, and itt’s only a matter of time before the latter becomes the lead rusher.
Rachaad White had played 100% of Tampa Bay's red zone snap through three weeks.
In Week 4, rookie Bucky Irving handled all five of Tampa's red zone rush attempts. https://t.co/kfuS0xnnuP
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) September 29, 2024
White won’t ever be useless because of his ability as a receiver, but the guy who was an RB1 last year is gone, and he’s never coming back. The volume simply isn’t going to be there with Irving proving to be a talented runner.
Even if Irving got hurt, we saw Sean Tucker get some burn. I’m quite confident he would play enough such that White’s usage will never return to where it was last season.
It may already be too late to recoup full value for White, but even 50 cents on the dollar is worth it.